need brakes for my SRT-4

[Scapegoat]

looking around for brakes for the car... the stockers are about spent...

I'm looking at trading the car in in around 6 months, so i'm not looking to spend much. The car doesn't see much heavy/performance driving...

ideally i'd keep the price under $200...

are these decent? http://cgi.ebay.ca/02-03-04-05-NEON-SRT4-SRT-4-Drilled-Brake-Rotor-Pad-F+R_W0QQitemZ260384085139QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2009 0327?IMSfp=TL090327123001r4643

how about: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DODGE-NEON-SRT4-03-05-DRILL-BRAKE-ROTORS-+-PADS-[F&R]_W0QQitemZ190295892658QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2009032 4?IMSfp=TL090324123001r38004#ht_1984wt_1203

or http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-04-05-Dodge-SRT-4-Drill/Slot-Brake-Rotors+Pads-F&R_W0QQitemZ310131728358QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ200903 27?IMSfp=TL0903271210008r32534#ht_2787wt_1036

any other recommendations?

BustedUJoint, i lost the link again for those brakes you mentioned to me...

[rich33389]

Just go to your local parts store...

[Scapegoat]

Just go to your local parts store...

you must not understand the point of asking a car forum a question about a vehicle component.

[zerioustt]

yeah dude just go to pep girls or ricer zone and get w/e they have.

[zerioustt]

you must not understand the point of asking a car forum a question about a vehicle component.

you just said you were trading it in...what do you need good pads for? just go to pep girls.

[Scapegoat]

never mind... i'll look elsewhere for information :roll:

[zerioustt]

cross drilled and slotted rotors are POINTLESS on a car that is not seeing weekly track time. get your rotors cut and buy cheap pads...

[240sxDann]

yea you said your trading it in and it doesn't see much heavy/performance driving, so why spend the money? Throw a set of new autozone pads and rotors, drive it nice for 6 months, trade it in, bada bing bada boom.

[russiankid]

I would just get some cheap blank rotors from Pepgirl or what not and get a decent set of pads. You buying cross drilled or slotted is just for looks.

[rich33389]

looking around for brakes for the car... the stockers are about spent...

I'm looking at trading the car in in around 6 months, so i'm not looking to spend much. The car doesn't see much heavy/performance driving...

ideally i'd keep the price under $200...

are these decent? http://cgi.ebay.ca/02-03-04-05-NEON-SRT4-SRT-4-Drilled-Brake-Rotor-Pad-F+R_W0QQitemZ260384085139QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2009 0327?IMSfp=TL090327123001r4643

how about: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DODGE-NEON-SRT4-03-05-DRILL-BRAKE-ROTORS-+-PADS-[F&R]_W0QQitemZ190295892658QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ2009032 4?IMSfp=TL090324123001r38004#ht_1984wt_1203

or http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-04-05-Dodge-SRT-4-Drill/Slot-Brake-Rotors+Pads-F&R_W0QQitemZ310131728358QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ200903 27?IMSfp=TL0903271210008r32534#ht_2787wt_1036

any other recommendations?

BustedUJoint, i lost the link again for those brakes you mentioned to me...

I read your post....and I offered my recommendation

Why spend a ton of money on brakes when
1)you are selling the car
2)it doesnt see performance driving

[Scapegoat]

$200 is nothing, especially for brakes that are going to perform better than stock.

Just because I'm looking to get out of the car, doesn't mean I'm not going to treat it (or myself) well. I'm picking up a walboro for it too... the fuel pump needs to be replaced. it performs better and is cheaper than a stock replacement.

I appreciate your opinion, and I see your point. Fact of the matter is, i'm not gonna go out and buy some **** for brake material when I have to drive in the car every day.

If the stuff on ebay is worse than the **** at pep boys, i'll buy the **** at pep boys... if the stuff on ebay that i posted is going to perform better, and its under $200... i'd rather have that. Drilled brakes cool faster, yes? So in stop and go they heat up... if i have to stop suddenly a cooler brake is going to perform better, yes?

Not so interested in slotted due to the lower life of the pads... but i'm looking for something better than a flat disk.

On top of all that... you never know... $35 for a saturday running in an autocross is cheap... i've had issues in the past with brakes that were too hot during an autocross and nose diving through a turn into of actually stopping.

seriously, i'm not some stupid punk that buys **** for my car w/o thinking about it... which is why i decided to ask a car forum. If you're just going to tell me to buy an OEM replacement from pep boys or autozone... don't bother.


So lets start over... I'm looking for an increase in braking performance, for around $200. will the above ebay rotors/pads suffice? Does anyone have any experience with the companies producing the items?

[DocWalt]

I wouldn't trust anything from ebay, but that's just me. You're more than likely going to end up with a POS. I'd get the factory rotors cut and upgrade to aftermarket high performance street pads. Hawk HPS is a good pad, not terribly dusty, and reliable. I don't know if they make them for SRT4s, but if you can get them, it's probably cheaper than ebay rotors that will more than likely develop cracks, or the pads will suck, etc etc.

[240sxDann]

Well you said any other recommendations, not any other performance recommendations. Unbunch your panties and calm down lol. You asked, we answered. You didn't mention anything about possibly auto crossing, and me personally, I'd NEVER buy brakes off ebay unless they were a real brand like brembo, etc. Those types of rotors are more prone to warping and cracking, especially being that it is probably **** material. So if you are going to upgrade the brakes, spend the extra money and get GOOD QUALITY stuff, which is going to run you I'm sure well over $1k. If you are trying to spend $200, just go get good quality replacement parts, they will last you 6 months even with an auto cross or two thrown in there.

[russiankid]

You're right, slotted or drilled rotors will dispense heat a lot better and allow gases to escape. However, even if the brakes heat up in stop and go traffic, they will not heat up to the point of having brake fade. You really won't see the true performance of the rotors unless you do some heavy driving. Another thing with performance is that slotted or drilled rotors have less surface area than blank rotors. So if you're going to be using stock size rotors, you're taking away the surface area thus not providing much gain.

Ken, I know you don't want cheap crap, but getting a fairly cheap set of blank rotors and good pads will be much better than going with something ebay has. If the holes on the drilled rotors were not made during casting, the rotors can crack. A good set of drilled rotors would run about $100 a piece. So when you compare it to the Ebay price, theres something fishy about it.

[Scapegoat]

I wouldn't trust anything from ebay, but that's just me. You're more than likely going to end up with a POS. I'd get the factory rotors cut and upgrade to aftermarket high performance street pads. Hawk HPS is a good pad, not terribly dusty, and reliable. I don't know if they make them for SRT4s, but if you can get them, it's probably cheaper than ebay rotors that will more than likely develop cracks, or the pads will suck, etc etc.

i've heard of HAWK EPS pads...

I think the factory rotors may be near the end of their life though... its an 05 w/ 50k miles and the stock rotors.

[Scapegoat]

Well you said any other recommendations, not any other performance recommendations. Unbunch your panties and calm down lol. You asked, we answered. You didn't mention anything about possibly auto crossing, and me personally, I'd NEVER buy brakes off ebay unless they were a real brand like brembo, etc. Those types of rotors are more prone to warping and cracking, especially being that it is probably **** material. So if you are going to upgrade the brakes, spend the extra money and get GOOD QUALITY stuff, which is going to run you I'm sure well over $1k. If you are trying to spend $200, just go get good quality replacement parts, they will last you 6 months even with an auto cross or two thrown in there.

panties aren't in a bunch... but telling me what to do, or offering an opinion w/o any kind of facts is about as useful or interesting to me as poop. Which is why i asked.

so now that i'm getting real responses... :p I can see where ebay may fail compared to higher priced items. I wasn't aware that drilled/slotted was done during casting. I can certainly see where doing it after the piece was casted could result in issues.

I know BustedUJoint purchased some ebay rotors w/ HAWK pads (if i remember correctly) and they've been doing alright for him.

If ebay rotors really are going to be less quality than an OEM replacement from pepboys... then there is no point in purchasing them

[240sxDann]

I'm sure the point can be argued by people who got ebay stuff and had great success and people who got stuff that was crap, but personally, I think brakes are way too important to cheap out on with ebay stuff. Regardless of whether it has held up thus far, your brakes are what save your life on a daily basis, and it just takes one crappy product for a rotor or pad to fail and send you into another car or a wall or a tree etc etc

[russiankid]

panties aren't in a bunch... but telling me what to do, or offering an opinion w/o any kind of facts is about as useful or interesting to me as poop. Which is why i asked.

so now that i'm getting real responses... :p I can see where ebay may fail compared to higher priced items. I wasn't aware that drilled/slotted was done during casting. I can certainly see where doing it after the piece was casted could result in issues.

I know BustedUJoint purchased some ebay rotors w/ HAWK pads (if i remember correctly) and they've been doing alright for him.

If ebay rotors really are going to be less quality than an OEM replacement from pepboys... then there is no point in purchasing them

I have blank rotors on my Honda from Napa for about 3 years now. They've undergone high heat in the south without any problems. They aren't warped, don't shudder, and I never noticed brake fade. My brother has Raybestos on his BMW, no issues and he's still in the south.

[zerioustt]

$200 is nothing, especially for brakes that are going to perform better than stock.

Just because I'm looking to get out of the car, doesn't mean I'm not going to treat it (or myself) well. I'm picking up a walboro for it too... the fuel pump needs to be replaced. it performs better and is cheaper than a stock replacement.

I appreciate your opinion, and I see your point. Fact of the matter is, i'm not gonna go out and buy some **** for brake material when I have to drive in the car every day.

If the stuff on ebay is worse than the **** at pep boys, i'll buy the **** at pep boys... if the stuff on ebay that i posted is going to perform better, and its under $200... i'd rather have that. Drilled brakes cool faster, yes? So in stop and go they heat up... if i have to stop suddenly a cooler brake is going to perform better, yes?

Not so interested in slotted due to the lower life of the pads... but i'm looking for something better than a flat disk.

On top of all that... you never know... $35 for a saturday running in an autocross is cheap... i've had issues in the past with brakes that were too hot during an autocross and nose diving through a turn into of actually stopping.

seriously, i'm not some stupid punk that buys **** for my car w/o thinking about it... which is why i decided to ask a car forum. If you're just going to tell me to buy an OEM replacement from pep boys or autozone... don't bother.


So lets start over... I'm looking for an increase in braking performance, for around $200. will the above ebay rotors/pads suffice? Does anyone have any experience with the companies producing the items?

you DO NOT need slotted cross drilled...get some hawk pads and cut your stock rotors. too hot of brakes doesnt equal buying cross drilled and slotted. its due to a number of factors. pads/rotors needing a turn/fluid needing to be changed/braided lines.

[Honest_Bob]

Grab some cheap blanks from an auto parts store and grab some Hawk HPS or some Carbotech pads if you insist on something more performance oriented. New fluid would also help if it hasent been changed.

Cross drilled/vented rotors are a myth in this day and age. Dont waste your money.

[DocWalt]

I have 139K on my stock rotors, and they're still fine. Unless you were running some wicked pads in there, they should be fine. If they're beyond the point of cutting them, get some sort of blanks. Cross drilling weakens the rotors, there's tons of stories of rotors failing even with street driving. I just don't want you to go out and waste money on **** from ebay when you can make do with better pads and the stock rotors. We don't need to hear a "OH **** I DON'T HAVE BRAKES" story because you bought some cheapo rotors.

There's a video of a 3000GT lapping the Nurburgring on cheap ebay rotors, and the rotor snapped off at the hat. Fun stuff...

[Scapegoat]

I have 139K on my stock rotors, and they're still fine. Unless you were running some wicked pads in there, they should be fine. If they're beyond the point of cutting them, get some sort of blanks. Cross drilling weakens the rotors, there's tons of stories of rotors failing even with street driving. I just don't want you to go out and waste money on **** from ebay when you can make do with better pads and the stock rotors. We don't need to hear a "OH **** I DON'T HAVE BRAKES" story because you bought some cheapo rotors.

There's a video of a 3000GT lapping the Nurburgring on cheap ebay rotors, and the rotor snapped off at the hat. Fun stuff...

hmm... i'll give the guy that did my inspection a call tomorrow and ask if the rotors can just be cut then.

[DownforceTom]

Just cut a hole in the floor and Fred Flintstone stop it. You know you can do it, you've got those long dancers legs all rippling with muscle.

[one8turbo]

find some brembo blank rotors and hawk hps pads...and change the fluid to some better stuff

[Scapegoat]

ok cool... thanks for the replies...

next question, do i need any special tools to do the job? does anything need to be bled? fluid removed?

[DaBombDiggidy]

all 4 pads and rotors.... yes, all must be bled in this order, back passenger, back driver, front passenger, front driver

and honestly just get pep boys stuff or autozone. greens are good if they have them. the only reason i replaced my rotors was because my rear pads were bad for awhile, but the fronts are still fine. Also just top off the fluid and make sure to bleed them correctly not being to malicious with the brake pedal you dont want to screw up the master cylinder.

[DaBombDiggidy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZC0FwMrtwQ

[zerioustt]

you only need to bleed the brakes if you are replacing the fluid.


only "special" too would be a c clamp. after you get the caliper off the rotor leave the pad on the piston side in place. take the c clamp put one side on the pad the other side of the caliper. basically you're trying to push the piston flush back into the caliper. this will let you put the new pads in with ease considering they are probably 3 times the size of the used pads and will need more room to fit over the rotors. if you need a hand let me know. should only take about an hour to do all four.

[russiankid]

Why the hell do you need to bleed the system when replacing pads and rotors? You aren't introducing any air into the system. Thats just a waste of time and money on fluid. Unless your fluid is pitch black, don't worry about it. As Zerioustt said, all you need is a c-clamp. However, you can push the piston all the way in while the caliper is on the rotor. Just be careful when doing it. It is also a good idea to open the master cylinder reservoir cap so when you push the piston in, fluid can rise.

[DaBombDiggidy]

why not? its not that hard and its a type of thing if your down there might as well do it right the first time to keep up on maintenence. its not like im saying remove all of the fluid. but whatever you dont need 2

[pinacup7]

PM sent

[Scapegoat]

Why the hell do you need to bleed the system when replacing pads and rotors? You aren't introducing any air into the system. Thats just a waste of time and money on fluid. Unless your fluid is pitch black, don't worry about it. As Zerioustt said, all you need is a c-clamp. However, you can push the piston all the way in while the caliper is on the rotor. Just be careful when doing it. It is also a good idea to open the master cylinder reservoir cap so when you push the piston in, fluid can rise.

i dunno lol, i'm just asking because i've never done the job and don't know what to expect.

I picked up a set of rotors and pads from autozone... pepboys didn't have my rotors and wanted $57 per rotor from the dealership! I was finding blanks online from better companies for $70ish

Oil and brakes saturday, can't wait... i do need to pick up a c clamp though.

Thanks for the PM pinacup, but i really rather do stuff myself to learn. Haven't had too much to do on the srt though since its not really modded... and everything has held up so well from the factory (i know, strange since its a dodge)

next after all that... fuel pump :cool:

[pinacup7]

No problem. You don't need a c clamp either. Just wedge a screwdriver inbetween the old pads and the rotor and compress the piston/pistons. Make sure you pump up the pedal when your finished. Check your fluid as well, its going to be above max if this is the first time you are doing brakes and havent touched your fluid.

[zerioustt]

Let me know if you need someone to drink beer and tell you what you're doing wrong. I have a c clamp also.

[zerioustt]

Being his first time I don't reccomend the screwdriver method. C clamps are 2 bucks.

[DaBombDiggidy]

how many miles on the car??? i had a caliper piston freeze up last summer in the low 40k mile range... but then again that was really the only thing bad thats happened.

[russiankid]

why not? its not that hard and its a type of thing if your down there might as well do it right the first time to keep up on maintenence. its not like im saying remove all of the fluid. but whatever you dont need 2

Because its a waste of time. What will you accomplish with bleeding the brakes? Getting air out of the system? How did air get in there? If there is air, he has other problems. His car has less than 50k miles. If the brakes have never been tampered with I don't see how he could possibly have any air in the system.

[pinacup7]

Because its a waste of time. What will you accomplish with bleeding the brakes? Getting air out of the system? How did air get in there? If there is air, he has other problems. His car has less than 50k miles. If the brakes have never been tampered with I don't see how he could possibly have any air in the system.

Brake fluid does get dirty, bleeding them is not just for air but to keep the fluid clean...... Your supposed to flush the system every 30k according to most manufactures. He is right if you are already down there might as well crack the bleeders and stick a bottle in the master cylinder and let it gravity bleed. It's only going to help

[Scapegoat]

how many miles on the car??? i had a caliper piston freeze up last summer in the low 40k mile range... but then again that was really the only thing bad thats happened.

nearly 51k

I've taken the brakes off my 72 parts c10... so i know what i'm looking at, theoretically. And i understand the basics... i'm pretty sure i'll be alright, but i wanted to make sure there wasn't going to be any fluid i need to mess with.

I'm just doing the fronts, since that was all my inspection mechanic told me needed replacing. if i was doing front and back i'd replace the fluid... perhaps later in the year i'll cross that bridge if and when.

i read about the c clamp thing...

now, since i'm replacing the rotors as well, should i leave the pads on until i replace the rotor and put the caliper back on, then replace the pads?

[russiankid]

Brake fluid does get dirty, bleeding them is not just for air but to keep the fluid clean...... Your supposed to flush the system every 30k according to most manufactures. He is right if you are already down there might as well crack the bleeders and stick a bottle in the master cylinder and let it gravity bleed. It's only going to help
Well he said you don't have to replace it. If I crack the bleeders open I will replace the fluid.
nearly 51k

I've taken the brakes off my 72 parts c10... so i know what i'm looking at, theoretically. And i understand the basics... i'm pretty sure i'll be alright, but i wanted to make sure there wasn't going to be any fluid i need to mess with.

I'm just doing the fronts, since that was all my inspection mechanic told me needed replacing. if i was doing front and back i'd replace the fluid... perhaps later in the year i'll cross that bridge if and when.

i read about the c clamp thing...

now, since i'm replacing the rotors as well, should i leave the pads on until i replace the rotor and put the caliper back on, then replace the pads?

I usually take the caliper off the bracket, remove pads, remove caliper bracket. Then replace the rotor, replace caliper bracket, put new pads in(grease where needed) and then slide the caliper on.

[pinacup7]

now, since i'm replacing the rotors as well, should i leave the pads on until i replace the rotor and put the caliper back on, then replace the pads?

Everybody does things different. For me the fastest and easiest way is to load the caliper with the new pads. Then take off your 2 caliper bolts. Get a bungee chord and hang your caliper from the spring. Replace/cut the rotor then put the 2 caliper bolts back in. Done

[KrautFed20V]

Let me know if you need someone to drink beer and tell you what you're doing wrong. I have a c clamp also.

http://celica.net/ubb/graemlins/stupid.gif